1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to hand-held soil leveling apparatus, and pertains more particularly to a leveling device that not only spreads the soil but at the same time performs a sifting operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional lawn rake is perhaps the most common implement used by both do-it-yourself and professional gardeners for preparing soil for planting. The shortcomings of such rakes have been recognized. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,887,170 granted on May 19, 1959 to Stephen V. Fenicchia for "GARDENING TOOL" has addressed this problem. As a matter of fact, the patented tool is intended to be attached to a common hand rake. While the leveling and breaking up of lumps can be to some extent achieved, there is no sifting accompanying the breaking up of the clumps during the leveling process. Virtually the same thing can be said for what is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,569,421 issued on Jan. 12, 1926 to Manuel T. Coelho for "LAWN DRESSING IMPLEMENT." Actually, any effective sifting is thwarted by reason of forwardly and rearwardly inclined plates. Another patent for spreading and leveling soil is U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,837 granted on Dec. 28, 1965 to Ronald G. Richards for "DEVICE FOR SPREADING MATERIALS ON LAWNS OR FOR LEVELING SOFT SOIL AND THE LIKE." In this patent, transversely extending and longitudinally spaced bars are employed; owing to the spacing between the bars no sifting can occur. Another patent to take into consideration is U.S. Pat. No. 3,146,831 granted on Sept. 1, 1964 to John W. McConnell for "RAKE FOR MAINTENANCE OF SAND TRAPS AND PUTTING GREENS OF GOLF COURSES." The rake described in this patent is designed, just as a portion of the title indicates, for grooming sand traps. While the rake does make use of expanded metal, the metal is rolled into a concavo-convex configuration which renders the rake suitable for fluffing up the loose sand of a trap, but the curvature imparted to the expanded metal makes the rake unsuitable for spreading soil and leveling because a wavy and uneven appearance results. Also, no sifting action is intended. When dressing putting greens, the rake head is turned over and employed in a hoe-like manner.